#Leaded: 1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace
1990s Glass Seed Bead Wolf Necklace. Seed beads like this commonly test positive for lead and cadmium and sometimes even mercury and arsenic. I personally avoid pieces like this in my home, but I must admit they are very beautiful! While it is very difficult to separate out the different beads on a piece like…
#Leaded: 1978 Ceramic Parrot Hair Clip (Cadmium too!), from Florida
This little ceramic parrot hair clip tested positive for both high levels of lead and cadmium (high compared to current standards for allowable levels of toxicants in items intended for children.) While the owner told me she got this in 1978 in Florida, I also want to say that I am 48 years old and…
#LeadFree: Sleepy Hollow New York Commemorative Fridge Magnet
Sleepy Hollow New York Commemorative Fridge Magnet Made primarily of Zinc. This item had the following readings when tested with an XRF instrument: Lead (Pb): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Cadmium (Cd): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Arsenic (As): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Mercury (Hg): Non-Detect/ND – Negative* Chromium ( Cr): 522 +/- 146 ppm Zinc (Zn): 985,100 +/- 12,000 ppm Cooper (Cu):…
#LeadFree: 1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback
1978 Copy of “Holly Hobbie’s Answer Book” Paperback Child’s Book Note: The XRF instrument tests down to single-digit ppm accuracy. Items intended for use by children are considered toxic and unsafe for children at 90 ppm lead or higher in the paint or coating or 100 ppm paint or coating in the substrate. A “negative”…
#Leaded; 1985 Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present Mini Comic Book
Tested with an XRF instrument this 1985 “Princess of Power A Most Unpleasant Present” Mini Comic Book was positive for the following elements at the following levels: Cover Lead (Pb): 105 +/- 18 ppm Chromium (Cr): 158 +/- 83 ppm Zinc (Zn): 66 +/- 19 ppm Copper (Cu): 105 +/- 35 ppm Nickel (Ni): 151…
#LeadSafe: 1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book
1985 Time Life The Enchanted World Water Spirits Hardcover Book, all components of the book tested with an XRF. See full XRF readings below. The amount of lead that is considered toxic in a modern item made and intended for use by children is 90 ppm or higher in the paint or coating. All of…
#LeadFree: Decorative Christmas Tin (no Mark or Maker)
The Christmas tin picture here was negative for Lead when tested with an XRF instrument. Note: The XRF instrument tests down to single-digit ppm accuracy. Items intended for use by children are considered toxic and unsafe for children at 90 ppm Lead or higher in the paint or coating, and at 100 ppm paint…
#AskTamara: I’m concerned that contractors at my Portland, Oregon elementary school are not using lead safe work practices. What should I do?
For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama, LLC…
#AskTamara: Do Glass Dragon Tears Have Lead? (Aka: Squashed Marbles, Glass Drops or Mancala Stones?)
#AskTamara Question: Do dragon tears have lead? Answer: Some do and some do not. Given the nature of the way most colored glass is commonly produced, many dragon tears do have at least some lead, and some have quite high amounts of lead — at levels considered dangerous for children by current/modern regulatory standards. [Even…
#AskTamara: Are my kids’ crayons toxic? Which brand of crayons is safe? Crayola? Filana? Stockmar? Honey Sticks?
For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Tamara owns and runs Lead Safe Mama,…
Auntie Tammy’s Pet Safe & Kid Safe DIY Ant Bait Traps
While this is “not lead related” (“NLR” or “NPbR”) it is related to keeping kids (& pets) safe from environmental toxicity. It seems like at some point everybody gets ants (at least in Massachusetts, California and Oregon (the three states where I have spent the most time)! I don’t remember ever having an ant problem when I…
Are your vintage “Little People” toxic? Sesame Street Friends, Vintage (c. 1970s) Fisher Price Little People
Do you remember these Sesame Street Friends from when you were a child? I do! (From friend’s houses! My mom never got us toys like this! We were so jealous of all of the other kids who had plastic toys!) Click on their names to see how much lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury each of…
#LeadFree: Vintage (c. 1970s) Fisher Price Sesame Street Grover Monster
Vintage (c. 1970s) Fisher Price Sesame Street Grover Monster: Lead (Pb): ND (non-detect) Cadmium (Cd): ND (non-detect) Mercury (Hg): ND (non-detect) Arsenic (As): ND (non-detect) Please check out the other Sesame Street things I have tested here! Please check out more of the vintage Fisher Price toys I have tested here! Thanks for reading! As always, please…
#Leaded: Vintage (c. 1970s?) Fisher Price Little People Sesame Street Ernie
Vintage (c. 1970s) Fisher Price Sesame Street Ernie: Red body: Lead (Pb): 30 +/- 13 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 3,153 +/- 65 ppm. Orange head: Lead (Pb): ND (non-detect) Cadmium (Cd): 3,394 +/- 74 ppm. Due to the very high cadmium levels this would not be considered a safe toy for a child by modern standards….
#Leaded: Vintage (c. 1970s?) Fisher Price Little People Sesame Street Bert
Vintage (c. 1970s?) Fisher Price Sesame Street Bert… Green body: Lead (Pb): 5,015 +/- 103 ppm Arsenic (As): 120 +/- 56 ppm Cadmium (Cd): ND (non-detect/negative) Mercury (Hg): ND (non-detect/negative) Face: Lead (Pb): ND (non-detect/negative) Cadmium (Cd) 35 +/- 10 ppm Arsenic: ND (non-detect/negative) Mercury (Hg): ND (non-detect/negative) All components non-detect (negative) for Mercury This toy would NOT be…
Vintage (1970s?) Sesame Street Fisher Price Little People Doll – Susan: 28 ppm Lead (Lead-safe by all modern standards)
When tested with an XRF instrument (in consumer goods mode) this vintage Fisher Price Sesame Street Susan doll had the following reading for Lead… Hair: 28 +/- 6 ppm. This amount of lead is considered safe by all standards. All other components of this doll were non-detect for Cadmium, Lead, Arsenic & Mercury. This is…
Bauer Vintage Celadon Pottery, Los Angeles: 210,800 ppm Lead (21%!). Context: 90 ppm is unsafe for kids.
This is a set of Bauer Vintage Celadon Pottery, Made In Los Angeles and purchased at an antique store in Portland, Oregon in 2017. When tested with an XRF instrument each of the pieces tested positive for the elements at the levels shown below. Note: the lead levels below are VERY HIGH, and I would…
Vintage (c. 1938-1960) Ceramic Harlequin by Homer Laughlin Co. Fiesta Plate: 287,600 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe].
This little yellow plate was purchased at an antique store in Oregon in 2018. While there is not a maker’s mark on the back of the dish, the store owner had researched the plate and came up with this description: Vintage Yellow Ceramic Harlequin by Homer Laughlin Co. Fiesta Plate, c. 1938-1960 When tested with an…
My sons, AJ (age16) & Avi (age 13) performing Tom Lehrer’s The Elements Song
Originally posted July 28, 2018. [Watch the fun 90-second video below!] – My kiddo is 16 today! He’s headed 3,000 miles away to Tufts on Tuesday for an internship with Tufts Biomedical Engineering Silk Lab (where they are pioneering medical and other breakthroughs applications using the building blocks of natural silk proteins!) The director of…
Ceramcor Xtrema “Metals-Free” Saucepan Positive For Lead, Cadmium, Cobalt, Iron, Nickel, Chromium and other metals when tested with an XRF instrument.
In August of 2018 I tested yet another Ceramcor Xtrema “Lead-Free” pan that ended up being positive for lead.This pan was purchased direct from the company, c. November of 2016. These pans are advertised and promoted as being metals-free, and specifically as being lead-free — yet when they are tested with an XRF instrument the coatings have…
#LeadSafeMama Financial Update, July 2018
Since you all are directly responsible for helping me earn $ to cover the costs of my advocacy work (and hopefully eventually this will turn into enough to make a living so I can actually AFFORD to continue do this full time!) I wanted to share with you periodic updates on what you are helping…
Miracle Rice Cooker c. 2009, Made in China: 5,484 ppm Lead, plus Cadmium and Antimony!
For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…
#AskTamara: Q. Does my Instant Pot have Lead? A. Yes, some. Here are the test results for a 6-quart Instant Pot purchased on Amazon.
For those new to this website: Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used…
#SiteStats: July 30, 2018 Update, Lead Safe Mama
Periodically I like to share my #SiteStats, more for me than for anyone else (so I can look back a year from now to see where things were and how things have changed!) It’s a fun way to keep track of things and measure the impact that my work might be making in the world….